First Government Reorganization Plan Submitted to National Assembly on September 25
People Power Party Announces Filibuster for Remaining Key Bills, Including the Act on Testimony and Appraisal
The first government reorganization plan of the Lee Jaemyung administration, which centers on abolishing the Prosecutors' Office and separating the functions of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, was submitted to the National Assembly plenary session on September 25.
On this day, the National Assembly convened a plenary session in the afternoon and submitted the revised Government Organization Act. Immediately after the submission, the People Power Party, led by Assemblywoman Park Sumin, launched a filibuster (unlimited debate).
Park Sumin, a member of the People Power Party, is delivering a speech opposing the second supplementary budget bill for 2025, which was submitted at the National Assembly plenary session on the 4th. Photo by Yonhap News Agency
The Democratic Party of Korea, which holds an overwhelming majority, immediately countered by submitting a motion to end the filibuster. This filibuster showdown between the ruling and opposition parties comes one month after the Democratic Party pushed through the second amendment to the Commercial Act, known as the "Stronger Commercial Act," at last month's plenary session, and marks the third such occurrence in the 22nd National Assembly.
The revised bill includes provisions to abolish the Prosecutors' Office and establish the Serious Crimes Investigation Agency and the Prosecution Agency, thereby separating the investigation and indictment functions of the prosecution. The bill is expected to pass, led by the Democratic Party and the Korea Reformation Party, after a vote to end the debate 24 hours later, on September 26.
The Serious Crimes Investigation Agency will be under the jurisdiction of the Minister of the Interior and Safety, while the Prosecution Agency will be under the Minister of Justice. As the amendment includes a one-year grace period, the Prosecutors' Office will be dissolved by September next year.
The revised bill also contains a plan to split the Ministry of Economy and Finance into the Ministry of Finance and Economy and the Office for Budget and Planning. If the revision passes, the budget function of the Ministry of Economy and Finance will be transferred to the Office for Budget and Planning under the Prime Minister's Office.
However, the plans to restructure the Financial Services Commission and establish the Financial Consumer Agency were not included in the revised bill, following consultations between the government and the ruling party.
The government reorganization plan also includes expanding the Ministry of Environment into the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, and changing the name of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In addition, it calls for abolishing the current Korea Communications Commission and establishing a new Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission.
Earlier, just before the plenary session, the Democratic Party entered negotiations for a consensus on the revised bill during a meeting between the floor leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, presided over by National Assembly Speaker Kim Jinpyo. However, they failed to narrow their differences with the People Power Party.
The People Power Party has also announced plans to filibuster four additional bills following the revised Government Organization Act: the bill to establish the Broadcasting, Media and Communications Commission, the revised National Assembly Act, and the revised National Assembly Testimony and Appraisal Act.
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